COOL GIRLS

Cool Girls was founded by Dawn Smith in 1989 in response to the desperate plight of young girls living in the East Lake Meadows housing community. At that time, East Lake Meadows was known as one of Atlanta's most violent public housing projects. With the support of Epiphany Episcopal Church and the Urban Training Organization, Smith and a handful of dedicated volunteers set out to create a secure, supportive environment for the girls of East Lake. The adults provided academic support through tutoring, broadened the girls' world-view through field trips, and formed a girls-only club where the girls could engage in positive, self-empowering activities that nurtured their development. The girls embraced the opportunity and named themselves "The Cool Girls of East Lake."... Throughout the years, Cool Girls program development has been responsive and relevant to the needs of the girls we serve. In May 1990, the Cool Sisters mentoring program was implemented. In 1994, the Cool Scholars..

Also known as: Cool Girls, Inc., The Cool Girls

Primary location: Decatur United States